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$3M bike grant gets redirected in Adelaide

$3 million of state government funding for the east-west city bikeway that was scrapped earlier this year will be redirected to other bike riding projects in Adelaide CBD. 

In Daily reported earlier this week that "Transport Minister Corey Wingard had confirmed that he would reinvest the $3 million taxpayer grant into cycling projects in the city, with Adelaide City councillors to decide where to spend the money at a meeting next month."

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said that she has had numerous conversations with the state government about reinvesting the grant into bike projects in the city after the majority of councillors voted against the east-west bikeway in March.

“A report is set to be considered by Council in June regarding our bikeways priorities and we will then present a proposal back to the Minister regarding the allocation of the funds.”

The much-anticipated bikeway was proposed to run through the city from West Terrace to Hutt Street via Franklin Street.

The project was shut down in response to community opposition and legal threats from local businesses concerned about car parking and pedestrian safety.

This all-too-familiar response was used in opposition to Heidelberg Road in Melbourne and many other new bike lane proposals in urban environments — despite studies from all around the world proving that adding bike lanes largely boosts business and employment in the retail and food service sectors.

A statement from Transport Minister Corey Wingard said the state government "look forward to hearing council’s alternative proposals and working with them to increase accessibility throughout the CBD.”

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